Operation: Reboot

"Wren, think about it at least. 
You shouldn't let the fact that you're a badass go to waste."
--Amy Tintera, Reboot

Genre: YA Dystopia

Publisher: HarperTeen, 365 pages

Publication Date: May 7th, 2013

Source: Bought
Goodreads

Goodreads Description

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

My Thoughts

I bought this book in anticipation of the Dark Days tour that came to Milwaukee a few months back. Not only was the event so great, I got to meet the lovely Amy Tintera...and again later at BEA! She is so awesome, for real. Incredibly nice, super cool, so needless to say I was SO excited to read her book. The fact that it was about a super solider girl who kicks asses and takes names only increased my excitement. 

And I was not disappointed. I like to think of dystopia as my go-to niche in the reading world and I have not read a good dystopian I feel like in FOREVER and Reboot made me remember why I love this genre oh so much. The crazy virus that has part of the population awakening from the dead after being killed turning them into super non-humans, the secretive government, the oppressive nature that the Reboots are subjected to, and OF COURSE, the love story...*sigh*. With that said, the world building was good. It wasn't super detailed but it gives room for future books to really explore more of the aftermath of the destruction the KDH virus has caused. The details surrounding this virus are vague as well as what happened to the rest of the United States, sans Texas, but I have a feeling that this is for future reveals in the upcoming books...I'm excited...

Wren 178 is the super star of the Reboots. The higher the number means the deadlier you are because it is how many minutes you were dead prior to rebooting. AKA Wren is pretty damn badass. She has been conditioned to believe she no longer has any human emotions...until Callum 22 becomes a newbie at the Reboot center. Because of him, Wren starts to realize she does still have feelings...and they are strong. I looooove the romance between these two. It is slow and steady and builds in anticipation, everything I LOVE. I adore a love storyline that involved one person helping the other realize how much more they have in them. Wren isn't just a killing machine, she has feelings, she can love and feel and have emotions. Callum is adorable and I loved how he brought out the best in Wren.

And while I LOVE the fact that Wren is the ultimate badass, my favorite part of her characterization are her vulnerabilities. I can't go into too much detail as to avoid spoilers but those who have read it know what I'm talking about. It just brought so much more depth to her and I just really loved this part of her. She is so much more than just a Reboot. 

The plot is extremely fast-paced and it is a for sure a quick read. The way the story shifted and changed was very fluid and flowed together perfectly. I liked where the story went and I think the ending wrapped up perfectly but obviously left me wanting to know what happens next! 

Should You Read This? Fast-paced dystopia with a kickass female heroine--YES! It made me remember how much I LOVE dystopias, this is a def read for messed up world lovers :)